Petition to Honor Rizana Nafeek by Demanding End to Arms Sales to Saudi Kingdom

Stanley Heller has started a petition calling for the U.S. to cancel its weapons sales to that kingdom. The link to the Signon.org petition is below.

The gruesome beheading of Rizana Nafeek, carried out by Saudi Arabian authorities, must mark the end of tolerance for the Saudi regime. This kingdom executes people for witchcraft and blasphemy, and lashes women who dare to drive cars. It does not allow the existence of labor unions, but does permit old men to marry children. Political rights are non-existent and demonstrations are put down violently. The regime is a notorious sanctuary for tyrants from Idi Amin of Urganda to Zine Ben Ali of Tunisia.

Rizana Nafeek, a young woman from Sri Lanka, worked as a domestic. She was found guilty of murdering a baby in her care when she was 17 years old.. Nafeek confessed to the killing, but Human Rights Watch says she made her confession under duress. In a 1/8/2013 statement the group said "Nafeek had no access to legal counsel unti l after a court in Dawadmi sentenced her to death by beheading in 2007." International law forbids execution of people for crimes committed when they were under 18, but Saudi Arabia ignored the provision.

As of January 2013, the Guardian(UK) reports 45 foreign maids are on death row in Saudi Arabia.

Besides its terrible human rights record, the kingdom gave millions to the Taliban. It took part last year in the suppression of the democratic movement in Bahrain. It is sending weapons into Syria to arm sectarian forces that attack all who do not agree with their extreme version of religion. The Saudi government has offered to collaborate with Israel and allow it to use Saudi airspace on its way to attack Iran.

Enough is enough. The government of Saudi Arabia should be regarded as an international pariah. The $60 billion dollar U.S.-Saudi arms deal must be cancelled.

That's why he created a petition to The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Barack Obama, which says:

"The beheading of domestic worker Rizana Nafeek by the government of Saudi Arabia is the last straw. The regime should be an international pariah. Cancel the $60 billion U.S.-Saudi Arms deal."